The Decoration of the Tree
by flightless wren
Summary: Bill and Fleur celebrate their first Christmas together. MINOR HBP SPOILERS.
1. Part One

**Author's Note**: I am becoming quite the prolific writer. At any rate, this takes place the Christmas of what would be Harry's seventh year. Half-Blood Prince spoilers, but nothing major. Thanks to **mnemosyne23 **for the twin idea!

There may be a second chapter to this; if not a chapter, definitely a sequel one-shot.

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**The Decoration of the Tree**

"Bill!" Fleur giggled. "Stop teeckling me!" She slapped at his hands and put her hands on her hips. "We _must_ get zis tree decorated. Eet ees December nineteenth." She glared at him playfully.

"You're right," he agreed. "This is a very serious matter. My hands will stay at my side."

"Except when zey are _h_elping me decorate," Fleur added shrewdly.

Bill stuck his tongue out at her. "I _like _to decorate."

"Good." They pretend-glared at each other for a minute before dissolving into laughter. "Now, where are your decorations?" Fleur asked, looking around as though they might appear out of nowhere.

"Oh, um, actually, I don't have any," Bill replied sheepishly.

"You don't have any?" Fleur replied, shocked. "_Quelle horreur!_ Why not?"

"Well, I was living in Egypt; there aren't many pine trees in Egypt. And then two years ago I stayed at Mum and Dad's, and last year we went to Mum and Dad's," Bill explained.

This was their first Christmas together, and they both could barely contain themselves with the sheer joy of it. Bill had promised Mrs Weasley that they'd be over Christmas Eve, and maybe Christmas Day afternoon, to give and open presents with the Weasleys, and they were going to Fleur's parents' house on Christmas Day evening, but Fleur had been adamant that Christmas Night be spent just the two of them.

Or rather, the _four _of them.

Bill reached out and rubbed Fleur's belly, still mostly flat. "I should have waited to tell you about zeese babies until Christmas," Fleur said, wistfully. "Eenstead I told you as soon as I knew."

Bill laughed. "Oh, I don't mind."

"Yes, but I 'ad to buy you a real present," Fleur sighed dramatically. "Now, back to ze important zings. 'Ow can we get some decorations?"

"Maybe Mum has some extras?"

"We could just go to Diagon Alley and get some zere," Fleur said. Her eyes lit up. "Our very _own _decorations, Bill!"

Bill grinned. "All right, let's go. But we walk, all right?"

"Walk? Whatever for?"

"Because-" Bill kissed her belly, "I don't want to put you through the Floo when you've got my heirs in there. And Apparating made you sick yesterday." He kissed her collarbone while she sighed.

"Vairy well. _Very_ well. We shall walk."

"Plus, we'll get to see all the decorations on the way. Muggle London has some nice decorations, too." Bill knew that Christmas decorations were her weak spot.

"Oooh, I _love_ all zis!" Fleur sang out happily. "_Noël _ees my favorite time of year! I am going to teach our babies all ze French carols..." She continued in this vein as she searched for her shoes and put on her best Christmas robes, a deep forest green.

Bill smiled adoringly at his wife (_wife - _it still was so incredible that she was _his wife_) and put on his own Muggle clothes. "Fleur, sweetheart, we're going through Muggle London - maybe you should dress like a Muggle."

"Oh, right!" Fleur changed out of her robes and put on a Christmas dress, instead. She continued to chatter about Chrismas, lapsing into French, and finishing up with, "I will show our babies how to decorate een ze _French_ way, instead of zis English way. The English, they do not know how to properly celebrate, I 'ave always said this."

"You have always said a lot about the English," Bill said dryly.

Fleur smiled guiltily. "But eet is all true."

Bill shook his head and took her hand. "Let's go to Diagon Alley."

As they walked along the street, Fleur exclaiming over particularly pretty decorations ("Zey must be French!"), and Bill listening to her in amusement, they clasped hands and every once in awhile Fleur touched her hand to her very slightly rounded stomach. They finally reached Diagon Alley and stopped in all the Christmas shops, buying decorations like this was the last Christmas. Bill shrunk them all to fit in one bag, and they walked back home, quiet and contented.

Bill unloaded the tiny boxes from the bag, and restored them to their normal size. Fleur clapped her hands in delight and Bill chuckled at her enthusiasm.

As they hung ornaments on the tree with music from The Nutcracker playing in the background, Fleur hummed along and Bill watched her.

It was never any use to tell Fleur she was beautiful. Even when Bill said it, she laughed and refused to take him seriously. But what Bill could never get across to her was that she was beautiful because of who she was, not because of how she looked. Bill watched her slender hands tuck an ornament in just the right place, watched her lips curve upward in a soft smile. He remembered her flying into a temper when she got an owl from her sister talking about how mean the girls in her neighborhood were to her. Fleur had immediately coerced Bill into Apparating with her to her parents' house to talk to Gabrielle and cheer her up, and Fleur stopping to translate what was going on every few minutes, because after two sentences, they lapsed into rapid French.

Bill smiled and hung another ornament.

Before they knew it, the tree was decorated. Fleur stepped back and sighed in appreciation. "_Magnifique_," she sighed happily.

"Yes," Bill replied, looking at Fleur. She blushed.

"Stop zat."

"What?" Bill asked innocently. "I was admiring the tree. What were you thinking?"

Fleur stepped over the boxes and threw her arms around Bill's neck unexpectedly. She kissed his ear. Bill made a sound deep in his throat. "What's that for?"

"For being wonderful," she whispered, kissing his jaw. "For being my 'usband." Fleur kissed his neck. "For being ze fazzer of my children." Bill kissed her lips fiercely.

"Thank _you_," he said.

They stood there for a long time, loving each other. When they stopped, or at least, slowed down, Fleur rested her head against his chest. "Let's sit down," Bill said quietly, realizing how tired she was when she unconsciously put most of her weight on him. He sat back on the couch, and Fleur pushed him to where he was lying down and she on top of him. He stroked her hair and she planted soft kisses on his collarbone.

"When shall we tell your family about the babies?" Fleur asked.

"I was thinking Christmas Eve," Bill replied. "Would you rather tell them sooner?"

Fleur looked up at him in surprise. "I would 'ave thought you would."

Bill tightened his hold on her slightly. "I like having a little secret."

Fleur snuggled against him. "So do I."

She listened to his heart beat steadily. Fleur reached up and lightly traced his largest scar across his face. He looked back at her unblinkingly.

"Let's tell them Christmas Day," Fleur said softly. "At lunch."

"Okay."

"And then zat night, we can tell my family."

"Sounds like a plan," Bill smiled. He lowered his lips to hers again, and there they lay in the glow of the Christmas tree lights for some time.

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Please review! I want to know what you think, good or bad.


	2. Part Two

**The Decoration of the Tree, Part Two**

"Fleur! Do you have the presents?" Bill called as he straightened his dark green robes.

"Yes! Zey are by ze couch!" she replied from the bathroom as she applied Quick-Dry charms to her hair. "'Ave you seen my red robes?"

"In the closet, I guess," Bill responded as he tied back his hair. "We need to leave as soon as you get dressed, otherwise there won't be any food left by the time we get to the Burrow."

"Yes, yes," Fleur replied flightily, now wrapped in only a towel. "Where _are_ zey, 'onestly, I don't know 'ow my robes - Ah!" She triumphantly found them in her packed closet.

Bill grinned to himself, admiring her curves as she changed into her clothes. He turned back to the dresser and started looking for his earring.

"Don't wear ze fang, Bill."

"What? Why not?" he demanded. "I thought you _liked _it."

"I love it," Fleur purred. "But your muzzer doesn't."

"So?" Bill was slightly put out.

"Eet's _Noël_, Bill." Fleur pulled her hair out of the collar of her robes.

Bill rolled his eyes. "Well, I can't find it anyway, and we've gotta go." Bill walked into the living room and picked up a stack of presents. "Are you sure you feel up to Apparating?" he asked Fleur, concerned.

"Yes, yes! 'Ow many times 'ave I told you this!" Fleur flounced out the door, holding a bag full of gifts.

Bill followed her, locking the door behind him. He wasn't going to admit it, but he dearly hoped his mum had at least gotten _something _for Fleur this year, even if it wasn't actually a Weasley sweater. He remembered the outburst from the previous year, and remembered the sulking fits Fleur had gone into for weeks afterwards.

Fleur had stopped at the Apparition Point and smiled brilliantly at him. Bill smiled back, fighting the urge to drop everything and ravish her right there, right then. They held hands and Disapparated...

And Apparated right in the middle of the dining area, which had been magically stretched to accomodate the large number of people. Fleur dropped her bag of presents and put her hands over her mouth. She ran upstairs, toward the bathroom.

"Is Fleur ill?" Molly asked anxiously, as the rest of the table continued their chattering, barely noticing the small _pop_s that had announced Bill's and Fleur's arrival.

"No, lately she's just been getting sick when Apparating. We should've Flooed," Bill replied, glancing up after Fleur. "Listen, let me drop these by the tree and run up after her." Without waiting for a reply, he deposited all the presents under the tree, waved in response to the chorus of greetings, and said he'd be right back.

Bill climbed the stairs to the sound of Fleur retching into the toilet. He opened the door to behold the sight of Fleur crying and his mum smoothing her hair back and moistening Fleur's forehead with a wet cloth. "Shh," she murmured. "It's all right, love."

"I am so sorry," Fleur sobbed, and then retched again. She was quiet for a few minutes and then Bill entered the bathroom quietly and took the cloth from Molly. He lay it on the back of Fleur's neck and kissed the top of her head.

"Is that all?" Molly asked gently.

Fleur nodded miserably. "I am vair sorry."

"Don't worry about it." With a quick _Evanesco_, the toilet bowl was cleaned, and Molly left. "We'll save some for you," she said quietly to Bill.

He nodded and turned back to his wife. "Are you okay?"

"_Non_," Fleur whispered, starting to cry again. "I am ruining Christmas."

"No, no, you're not," Bill whispered soothingly. "Besides, once they hear our good news, they won't care."

Fleur sniffled. "Are we going to tell them tonight?"

"Do you want to?"

"Do _you_ want to?"

They both laughed a little. "I'm all right with telling them tonight," Bill assured her. "But it's up to you."

"Let's tell them tonight, after all ze presents are opened."

"Okay. Let's get you cleaned up." Bill helped her to her feet, and Conjured a small glass to rinse out her mouth with. Fleur swished water around and then did a Breath-Freshening Charm on her mouth, and swallowed another glass of water. "Ready?"

Fleur nodded determinedly. "_Oui_."

They reentered the dining area, smiling sheepishly. Everyone greeted them with friendly smiles, though, and then returned to their previous conversations. Fleur seemed relieved that no one made a big deal or asked questions about her... incident. She sat next to Tonks, and Bill sat opposite her, next to Remus.

"How are you, sir?" Bill asked Remus as Molly sat a full plate in front of him.

"Quite well, Bill," Remus smiled. "And yourself?"

Tonks smiled cautiously at Fleur, while Fleur smiled outright. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ronald drop his fork and Hermione kicked him. Tonks turned her head and then grinned back at Fleur.

That broke the ice. "'Ow are you?" Fleur asked politely.

"Oh, I'm all right, thanks. My parents are in South Africa right now, so I decided to spend Christmas with Remus, and Remus decided to spend Christmas with the Weasleys, so..." Tonks chuckled.

"South Africa? Whatever for?"

Dinner continued for an hour, with people talking and laughing and shrieking, in the case of Ginny when Fred slipped a Father Christmas Beard Roll in her food, causing her to sprout a four-foot long beard.

"Enough!" Molly said, smiling amongst the shouts of laughter.

"Presents!" Arthur cut in, chuckling.

That distracted everyone quickly enough; from Arthur to Ginny, everyone made a beeline for the living room, and Ron began handing out presents. "Fleur!" he yelled, tossing one her way. "George! Charlie! Harry! Dad! Gin! Hermione! Bill! Professor! Tonks! Oooh, me! Fred!" and so on it went until everyone had a huge stack of gifts and they all began ripping into them, laughing and shrieking in glee.

Bill watched Fleur rip open one of her presents, and then gasp in delight. It was a soft purple sweater with a white F in the middle of it.

Fleur's eyes welled up slightly, but she blinked it away and smiled hugely at Mrs Weasley, who, Bill saw, had been watching with anticipation. Fleur slipped the sweater on over her robes, just as George and Charlie had already done, and continued opening her presents.

About an hour later, when everyone had finished opening presents, thanking the givers and had begun to settle back and sit quietly (for Weasleys, anyway), Bill and Fleur looked at each other. He raised his eyebrows and she nodded, smiling shyly.

Bill cleared his throat. "Well, guys, Fleur and I better get going, but before we go-"

"We 'ave a surprise for you!" Fleur said happily.

Molly leaned forward slightly in her chair, and Bill could see her mind click things together, and she began to grin.

"We're going to have a baby!" Bill burst out, with a thrilling laugh.

Ginny sat up straight. "Really?" she squealed. "Excellent!"

All at once, everyone leapt up and was hugging Fleur, slapping Bill on the back, and congratulating them both, and Molly was sobbing happily, and Fred and George were smirking at Bill, and Fleur laughed exuberantly.

"Is it a girl?" Ginny shouted over the din.

"Are you mad, it's a boy, definitely a boy," Charlie said teasingly.

"Well, actually..." Bill said, looking at Fleur.

"Eet's twins; one boy and one girl," she said, giggling.

A roar of laughter filled the Weasley house and Bill and Fleur smiled at each other and held hands in the middle of the noise and the laughter and neither one could think of a place they'd rather be.

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Aw, I liked writing this chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it!

Next chapter tomorrow: A Bill/Fleur only interlude.

Please review! I so love getting them, they make me feel all squishy inside.


	3. Part Three

**Author's Note: **This is a really short chapter because... well... if I'd kept going, it was going to end up being on the other side of NC-17, and I'm trying to keep it basically family-friendly.

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**Part Three**

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Bill asked, grabbing Fleur's arm as she stumbled into the door, hand over her mouth.

Fleur jerked away from him and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes, breathing deeply through her nose. Bill watched her carefully, ready to grab her again if she needed it. After a moment, Fleur stood straight and removed her hand. "I theenk I am okay now."

Bill's face relaxed into a smile. He unlocked the door to their flat, and set their bag of received presents on the floor. Fleur stumbled slightly on her way in, and headed straight to the couch. She lay down, and closed her eyes.

"Do you want me to just carry you to the bed, love?" Bill asked gently, smoothing her hair back from her forehead.

"_Non_, I am not ready to sleep yet, I just want to lie down." Fleur sat up slightly, and patted the seat cushion. When Bill sat down, she scooted back and leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her, and stroked her hair.

They sat like that for quite awhile, Fleur watching the Christmas fairies change colours, Bill watching Fleur. He kissed her ear softly. Fleur made a sound deep in her throat, and snuggled further into him. Bill began kissing her jawline and her neck, and then pulled her hair away from the other side of her head, and Fleur moved her head to give him easier access. He nipped her earlobe and Fleur gave a small sigh. She turned around and sat on Bill's lap and their lips met, gently and insistently. Fleur leaned forward and kissed his neck while he kissed her shoulder. She sighed and leaned her head against the side of his while he dragged his lips lightly across her collarbone.

"I love you," Fleur said quietly, running her fingers through his suddenly loose hair.

"I love you, too."

"I'm sorry zat I threw up earlier."

Bill pushed her back slightly. "That wasn't your fault," he replied, looking her in the eyes, smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring manner.

Apparently it was, because Fleur shifted to where she was straddling him and started playing with his hair. Bill closed his eyes, focusing on the feel of her fingers on his scalp.

"Do you theenk zat my family will be as 'appy as yours tomorrow night?" Fleur asked, still combing her fingers through his hair.

Bill made a sound halfway between a grunt and a groan. Fleur giggled. "What ees that supposed to mean?"

"It's supposed to mean that you need to stop making serious conversation when I'm about to carry you off to bed and ravish you until dawn," Bill replied. He put his hands on her lower back and started rubbing gently. Fleur closed her eyes, still smiling. "You think I'm joking?"

Fleur giggled again, shaking her head. Bill brought his hands forward, very lightly rubbing her stomach, where his babies were growing. "You're amazing," he said.

"Am I?"

"Yeah. You're carrying my twins. We _created twins._"

"Well, I theenk you may take some credit for being amazing," Fleur replied, eyes still closed.

Bill slipped his hand under her top and spread his fingers over her bare stomach. Fleur shivered at the sudden warmth. Then they kissed again, deeper.

"Hang on," Bill muttered. She obeyed, and he stood up, Fleur clinging to him. She laughed a little, and he grinned as he carried her into their bedroom and... well... ravished her until dawn.

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Please review! I want to know what you think, good or bad.

Also, I do want everyone to keep in mind that this is a Bill/Fleur story; I'm not writing other pairings in this, aside from casual mentions. And someone mentioned not getting how Molly was already with Fleur in the previous chapter; the way The Burrow is set up (at least in the movie) is the stairs are between the dining area and the living room, and when Bill went into the living room to drop the presents, Molly had already started up the stairs. So then by the time Bill finished resizing and dropping the presents under the tree, Molly was already with Fleur.


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